Reading Notes

• High school teachers from four different schools focused on subject content while the school librarian focused on information literacy component. All were focused on developing strategies for students to avoid plagiarism.
• Research question was "What elements of collaboration between teachers and librarians, identified in the literature, contributed to the positive outcomes of a project focused on assisting students to avoid plagiarism?"
• "While collaborations based on teacher librarian initiatives are not necessarily well received, teachers in these schools were willing to collaborate with teacher librarian's on the latter initiative because they could see the value of it for their students. It was also because of the perceived importance of the issue (plagiarism) that the project received continuous support from senior management in all the schools."
• Principals provided support by allowing teachers to attend 4 team meetings, hosting a lunch for the team, and acknowledging the projects importance.
• "The study appears to suggest that actually demonstrating successful collaborations between teachers and teacher librarians in schools, where there is a shared vision and goal, may be a catalyst for extending the concept of collaboration across the curriculum in a school without all the prerequisites and requisites for successful collaboration being in place to begin with.

Williamson, Kirsty, Alyson Archibald, and Joy McGregor. "Shared Vision: A Key To Successful Collaboration?." School Libraries Worldwide 16.2 (2010): 16-30. Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts with Full Text. Web. 3 Feb. 2014.

• School librarians need support from administrator to adjust schedule to plan with teachers for effective collaboration. The planning in this case study occurred in the library for two hours during their monthly block planning for a total of 8 planning sessions. The SL planned with the three second grade teachers on the campus while an assistant covered their classes. The focus was on the instructional unit of Endangered Species.
• "The struggle for school librarians to achieve a flexible schedule is in part a struggle between two identities of school librarian: one promoted by the profession and one needed to maintain elementary school schedules that provide release time for teachers"
• Teachers identify the school librarian as a gatekeeper of resources, a specialist, and a helper. The role of co-teacher or instructional partner as established by AASL has not yet been recognized by teachers as the discourse analysis proves and it is an on-going struggle by the school librarian to assert this role.
• During the instructional design process, the school librarian can assist teachers to realize their objectives by "positing ideas and asking questions to provoke conversation about designing instruction."
• "While the provision of resources, a flexible schedule, and a service orientation are all highly valued and recognized aspects of our jobs, they are not sufficient and may even hinder the creation of new identities beyond gatekeepers, specialists, and helper.
• Citation: Kimmel, Sue C. "Consider With Whom You Are Working": Discourse Models Of School Librarianship In Collaboration." School Library Media Research 14.(2011): ERIC. Web. 3 Feb. 2014.
  
  
  

• Collaborative planning with teachers is a way to build an effective library program. Assessing teaching and learning styles links to academic achievement..
• Districtwide policies can affect how successful a school community can build collaborative relationships.
• Student achievement is related to teachers being accountable to student learning, therefore collaboration can not operate in isolation, or if teachers are unconnected.
• Many teachers are resistant to forced change due to unsuccessful outcomes, which has caused the idea of collaboration to become difficult to promote. Most of the time it's not about the change being presented, but rather the way it is introduced. "Change is a journey not a blueprint"
• The teacher librarian should extend the need for change to all in the school community. It should not be led alone.
• The purpose of collaboration and school improvement should be linked to a focus on student learning/achievement; real-world connection; the school community; ongoing inquiry and reflection; integrating school goals and initiatives
• The school librarian must be in tuned with the school environment and issues such as scores, motivation, learning gaps.
• An important factor in building collaborative relationships is the building principal.
• Knowledge of curriculum is another important factor that affects school improvement. The librarian must be resourceful and knowledgeable of all subject areas., as well as teachers' prior knowledge

• Principals serve as instructional leaders of their schools by establishing the climate, expectations, and priorities for effective teaching and student learning.
• Librarians should function as a collaborative instructional partner. He/she should function as a teacher of information literacy.
• When librarians take an active role in instructional, student achievement increases.
• It is the principal who must see the library media program as an integral part of the instructional program.
• The librarian must promote the library media program to teachers by showing personal commitment to it, affirming it's value, and modeling library use.
• A barrier to implementation of the library is lack of faculty awareness concerning the library program's offerings.
• Some principals' perceptions of the librarian viewed the librarian as a resource person, a provider of reference services, and administrator of library tasks, while others view the librarian in a traditional light, not fully aware of the instructional role the librarian should play.